Superman: A Review

 Lots of spoilers.  Don't get mad at me if you keep reading.

So I should be editing the Sci-Fi Multiverse book, but this is a great way to procrastinate on that project.

I said that I'd be mixing it up on the TVCU blog, and here is one of those mixing it up moments.

I'm not just the Crossovers Guy, I'm also the Superman Guy.  I was highly anticipating this movie, so much so that even though my car was in the shop, I walked miles to see this movie.  

And I felt it was underwhelming.  

Before I get to what I didn't like though, let me talk about what I did like.

I didn't hate this movie.  I wouldn't even say I was disappointed.  It was fine.  It just didn't blow me away.  So what did I like?

First off, Luthor!  Luthor was captured perfectly.  He was evil, arrogant, insecure, envious, so flawed.  Perfect.

Lois Lane.  Rachel Brosnahan really looked and acted like Lois.  

Though there wasn't much humor for a James Gunn movie, when there was humor, it worked.  

Though he was going for a Silver Age feel, Superman's approach to ending the war was very 1938 Golden Age in its approach.  Playing it rough with the dictator was exactly what Siegel and Shuster's Superman would have done.  

Superman valued life.  He tried to save the monster rampaging through the city.  He even saved a squirrel.  

Superman was human.  I mean, of course he was Kryptonian, but it was clear he was raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent in Smallville, Kansas.  

The Daily Planet cast, though only used briefly, was spot on.  

Eve Tessmacher, collecting evidence in the form of selfies, was brilliant.  

The Superman Robots were funny.  

Okay, so that's a lot of good things.  So what didn't I like?

What the hell is up with the Justice Gang?  Come on...  I want to see the Justice League or even the Justice Society.  

Krypto is supposed to be super smart.  At least that's the Krypto I grew up with.

I really hate when they make Jor-El and Lara evil.  They also did this in Smallville.  In the comics, Jor-El was a good person.  So was Lara.  

Superman's hair.  There, I said it.  I want straight hair with the curl.

In the argument, Superman really loses his cool, gets defensive, and then just walks out on Lois when she says she knew this wouldn't work.  I guess I was just pissed at Clark for that.  

Supergirl seems to be a Gen Z stereotype.  I'll still see the movie, but I hope they develop her further.  

Rex Mason is supposed to be this tough mercenary type.  Not a whiner.  I get that his son was held captive, but this was not Rex Mason.  

Ultraman was actually Bizarro, so why not just do Bizarro?  Ultraman should be from another universe, not Superman's clone.  

Well, I guess that's it.  It wasn't the iconic movie I was hoping for.  It also wasn't the woke movie MAGA assholes were complaining about either.  It was fine.  It did well in its opening weekend and will probably be a good start for the new DCU.  I'm still hopeful and skeptical at the same time over the line up of films coming.  James Gunn at least reads comics.  I still thought they killed the DCEU prematurely, but what's done is done.